On 2 April 1842, I was born
in the small Italian village of
San Giovanni di Riva,
fairly near the place
where Don Bosco was born.
My parents? Charles and Brigid.
A CHILD OF GOD
At 5 pm that same day, I was baptised…
I did not understand…
but it must have been very important because later on it played a big part in my life!
Yes, a Child of God!
In November 1884 we came to live here, at Murialdo.
It is 1 km from Don Bosco’s house.
They were happy years.
What do I remember best? My first communion!
I was let make it when I was 7… even though most people used to make it in those days at 11 or 12 !
I was serious about my communion. That day I made four resolutions:
1. I will go to confession frequently and Communion as often as my confessor allows.
2. I want to make Sundays and feast days holy.
3. My friends will be Jesus and Mary.
4. Death rather than sin.
Everyone said that even as a small child I had “a sharp character and showed great ingenuity”. I was cheerful, lively, open, always ready to follow any good example I saw.
In Februrary 1853 we came to live in Mondonio, 5 km from Morialdo
YET ANOTHER MOVE !
It was the morning of the first Monday in October.
I went with my father to meet Don Bosco at his house.
–Who are you? Where do you come from?
–I am Dominic Savio.
We were on the same wavelength immediately!
Don Bosco answered my questions:
- So, what do you think of me? Will you take me with you to Turin to study?
- I think there is good material in you.
- And what can you do with this material?
- We can make a lovely suit and present it to the Lord.
- Good. I will be the material, you be the tailor. Take me with you and make a good suit for the Lord.
When I arrived at the Oratory, I saw this writing on the wall in Don Bosco’s room... Give me souls, take away the rest.
Then I realised Don Bosco’s business !
There are no photos of me... so, people painted various pictures of me...
But they were always odd, with me looking up to heaven in a way that would give you a stiff neck!
I believe I was fairly normal!
At least that’s what my sister said when she saw the drawings.
My sister did think this drawing by a friend of mine in the Oratory was a good likeness.
The dogma of the Immaculate Conception was only recently proclaimed and there was great devotion to Mary in the Oratory.
I got together with a group of friends and we agreed to “help each other and do good”.
We became the Sodality of Mary Immaculate !
Don Bosco thought it was good and on 8 June 1856 it was officially established.
What did we promise? Very simple things !
frequent the sacraments,
try to imitate Jesus, and
get close to our less exemplary companions to help them improve.
It had its effects:
Why deceive Don Bosco to go and swim in the river?
One day I had to stand with a crucifix between two friends from the Oratory in order to keep the peace: they were going to kill each other with stones !
Study, each day do our duty, and above all...
BE ALWAYS CHEERFUL !
This was the key Don Bosco used to make us saints !
DB: Dominic… What’s wrong? Are you not well?
ME: I am fasting as a penance... Do you want to help me? You said the Lord wants us to be saints... I want to be a saint!
- At your age fasting is not the best penance.
- But I do it for you and for the others.
- Yes… but don’t exaggerate. Here in Valdocco, to be a saint means to be always cheerful.
Listen, Dominic, wherever you find your family, your dreams, your desires, your duties... Wherever you find all that you love, that is where you find Jesus Christ!
You can be a saint if you do everything you do, from your heart. And you have a great heart!
- Yes, Don Bosco, now I understand.
- Good, let’s go for dinner. Come on!
A scene from the last film on Don Bosco… :
Truth is that, at the Oratory, Don Bosco and Mamma Margaret always led the way in everything. Work, example, care of the least, God, the sacraments...
My teachers
During the cholera epidemic in Turin, Don Bosco asked for volunteers to help the sick.
How could we not help them?
One day, I don’t know what happened me.
I went to communion and was behind the altar in thanksgiving. When Don Bosco came to call me, it was dinner time. I had spent the whole morning with my best friend: Jesus! Seriously!
I had not forgotten this one of “my best friends” of my First Communion.
My best friend
But…
Nobody controls their own life!
I began to feel sick and had to go home.
I went for a bit of rest. Or so I thought
The days passed and...
9 March 1857 came.
The parish priest had come.
I felt very sick... But I was going to meet my friends. It occurred to me to tell my family:
“Don’t cry. I am going to Our Lord and Our Lady. They are waiting for me with open arms”.
Later on, fame came...
My sister gave some mementos or souvenirs of me to those who had known me.
People asked the Lord for things through my intercession...
They made me a channel of graces from God for many people.
And the Popes…
Pius IX called me a «little giant of holiness»,
Pius XI declared me Venerable on 9 July 1933,
Pius XII declared me Blessed on 5 March 1950, and Saint on 12 June 1954, Patron of expectant mothers, and of Choir Boys...
Finally
…what’s this about being a saint?
yes but...
Laura Vicuña and I will explain it to you… it is easy!
be always cheerful
being a saint is not...
is not...
...something difficult or boring
It is not
X
it's easy for everyone.
it's easy to be saints...
Don Bosco told his boys that it is easy to be saints.
Laura and I paid attention to him and we achieved it.
to be saints is not...
is not...
doing extraordinary things
So how do you get to heaven?
X
Holiness consists in
being always content
DON BOSCO GAVE ME THE FORMULA
* Be always cheerful
* Do my duties
* Meet Jesus in everyday life
*Help my companions
These were my resolutions on the day of my First Communion:
- Always be a friend of Jesus
- Live as Jesus wants and work so that others may love him
Do the impossible so that Jesus may be known and loved by everyone, especially by my mother who is always so sad
being saints is not
is not...
thinking of yourself...
This is what I call life !
X
being saints...
...commits us to build a new world !
to be saints?
cheerfulness
responsibility
commitment
if it possible to be a saint...
…then why not you?
Translated from the Spanish by Fr Patrick Egan SDB, Salesian College, Celbridge, Co. Kildare, Ireland.
